Pneumatic piano-player.



No. 706,574. Patented Aug. 12, |902. s. LocKLm.

PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

(Application led Aug. 10, 1901.)

(No Model.) 9 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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we Noam PETERS co. nom-umn.msmusfom n c No. 706,574. PatenfedAug. 12, 1902.

s. B. LocKLm.

PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

(Appliction led Aug. 10, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I nHnHnHnU/nunnnnnnnununnnun UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL I3. LOOKLIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PN EU MATlC PIANO-PLAYER.1

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,574, dated August 12, 1902.

Application filed August 10, 1901. Serial No. 71,595. (No model.)

players which comprise in their construction a series of fingers adapted to engage and operate the keys of the piano or other instrument and a series of pneumatics which control the action of the fingers, the action of said pneumati-cs in turn being controlled by a perforated sheet of music, which passes over the usual tracker; and the object of my invention is to improve this class of devices in various particulars, as hereinafter described, and pointed out `in the claims, to render the same more reliable and quicker in its action.

In the drawings, Figure l shows a section of so much of a pneumatic piano-player embodying my invention as is necessary to understand the operation of the device. Fig. 2 is a front view of a portion of Fig. l, showing the arrangement of the pneumatics. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the manner of mounting the lingers. Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the air-pockets in the boxes. Fig. 5 is a plan View of myimproved tracker, a portion thereof being removed to better show the construction. Fig. (5 is a section on the line a; a', Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shows my improved spool for the sheets of perforated music. Fig. S is a longitudinal section of the pneumatic I employ. Fig. 9 is a section on the line fz/ y, Fig. 8. Figs. l0 and Il are detail views showing one Way of detachably securing the pneumatic to its support, and Fig. l2 is a detail of the improved pocket-valve.

The fingers, which are adapted to engage and operate the keys 30 of the piano or other instrument, are designated by 3, the said Ein.- gers being pivotally mounted, as hereinafter described, and being connected by means of suitable links 3l to pneumatics 4t.

The pneumatics are shown as arranged in series of four (see Fig. 2) and in staggered arrangement, this arrangement being desirable because it allows the adjacent fingers to be the requisite distance apart to operate the corresponding keys on the instrument.

Each pneumatic is connected by a suitable duct 5 to a pocket or valve-chamber 33, there being 'one such valve-chamber foreach pneumatic, and said valve-chamber has a pocketvalve IO therein, controlling ports 34E, leading to the atmosphere, and 35, leading to the interior chamber S of the secondary boxes 6 or 7. In this embodiment of my invention two such secondary boxes are shown, the duct 5 for one pneumatic leading to a Valve-chamber in the box 6, while the next succeeding pneumatic communicates by a similar duct with the valve-chamber in the secondary box 7, the third pneumatic communicating by a similar duct with a valvein box (i, the stem of which valve is shown at 36, and the fourth pneumatic leading to a valve-chamber communicating with box 7, rbc. The chambers 8 of thesecondary boxes-are connected to a suitable wind-chest, (not shown,) from which 'the air is exhausted by any suitable bellows mechanism, (not shown,) as usual in this class of devices. The pocket-valves l0 have their stems 3G' connected toa diaphragm 11,which covers an air-pocket l2 in the secondary boxes7 the said air-pocket being connected by ducts 13 with the chamberltin the primarybox, the said chamber 14 also being connected to the wind-chest, whereby air is exhausted therefrom. The ducts 13 are controlled by any suitable or usual valve mechanism 1G, shown as in the form of a double puppet-valve, which is adapted to establish communication between the duct 13 and the chamber lll, as shown in Fig. l, or to close said communication and open the communication between said duct and the atmosphere, according to the position of the diaphragm 17, to which the stem of said valve 16 is connected, the said diaphragm covering an air-pocket I8 in the primary box. The air-pockets I8 are connected by individual ducts 19 and tubes 2O to the respective ducts or air-passages 25 through the tracker 2l, said ducts 25 being controlled by the perforations in the sheet of music 22.

The operation of the devices above described, which constitute the features ordinarily found in the devices of this class, will be readily understood and is as follows: The

exhausting-bellows establishes a vacuum in the chambers 8 and 14 and also in the ducts 19, the air in said ducts being drawn out through vents 24 in the diaphragms 17. When now an aperture in the perforated music 22 passes over any duct or air-passage in the tracker, air is allowed to enter said air-passage and pass through duct 19 into the airpocket 13, thereby exploding the same and lifting the valve 1G from the position shown in Fig. 1 to close the communication between the chamber 14 and the duct 13 and to open communication between said duct and the atmosphere. The air then rushes in through the duct 13 and explodes the air-pocket 12, thereby lifting the valve 10 and closing the normally open port 34 between the duct 5 and the atmosphere and opening the port 35, whereby said duct is brought into com munication with the chamber 8 of the secondary box. The air in the pneumatic is thereupon exhausted suddenly and the pneumatic collapsed, whereby the finger controlled thereby is operated to strike the corresponding key on the instrument.

The particular features wherein my invention resides will now be described.

The operating mechanism for the lingers 3 is, as stated above, usually inclosed in a suitable casing independent from the piano, which casing may be set in position in front of the piano, with the ngers resting on the keys when it is desired to play the instrument. It frequently happens, however, that when the casing is being placed in position the ends of the fingers 3 strike the ends of the keys 30 on the piano, thereby damaging the fingers. 'lo prevent this, I pivot my fingers 3 in any usual or suitable way upon a plate or carrier 3S, which extends the length of the casing and is hinged to the frame or support 39 for the pneumatics and boxes in any suitable or usual way, as at 40.

Suitable means are provided to turn the carrier 3S about its hinge 40 to thereby simultaneously lift the hammer end of all the tingers 3 above their normal position, so that when the casing inclosing the operative parts is moved into position in front of the piano there will be no danger of the finger ends striking the keys.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the end of the carrier 38 has a stud 41 projecting therefrom, which plays in a suitable inclined or cam slot 42 in an actuating elbow-lever 43, pivoted to the support portion 39, said lever being provided with a finger-piece 44. The slot 42, it will be seen, is eccentric to the pivot of the actuating-lever, and therefore by raising the finger-piece, as shown in Fig. 3, the fingers 3 will all be raised, and after the casing is in operative position the lever 43 may be depressed, thereby bringing the lingers down into their operative position, with their ends resting on the keys 30. (See Fig. l.) lt will be seen that the end of the slot 42 has at one end a seat 42', in which the stud 41 rests when the fingers are in their operative position, and the relation between the pivot or fulcrutn of the lever 43, the stud 4l, and the slot 42 is such that when the lever is depressed to bring the carrier 33 into the dotted-line position, Fig. 3, said carrier becomes locked and cannot be raised bya lifting pressure applied to the fingers 3.

It is important that when the lingers 3 are in their operative position the hammer ends thereof just rest upon the keys of the piano; but oftentimes the piano-keys are not in perfeet alinement, some ot' them being slightly raised or depressed below the others. To coinpensate for this unevenness in the keys, I have made the hammer ends of my fingers 3 adjustable vertically, whereby after the finh gers are in operative position the hammers thereon may be brought into engagement with the various keys. One convenient way of accomplishing this is to split the ends of the iingers, as shown at 4G, one branch 43 of the split or forked end having the usual hammer 45 secured thereto and the other having an adjusting-screw 47 passing therethrough and engaging the branch to which the hammer 45 is connected. The branch 43 is resilient, while the other branch, through which the set-screw 47 passes, is comparatively rigid, so that by adj usting the set-screw 47 the resilient branch may be made to yield and the position of the hammer thereby varied to compensate for unevenness in the keys.

By splitting the end ofthe lingers, as shown, the entire hammer end of the fingers is rendered somewhat elastic, so that when the finger is `operated the blow struck thereby on the piano-key will be somewhat in thenature of a yielding blow, whereby the action of the instrument is more like that of a person playing a piano.

Another feature of my invention relates to the pneumatics 4. As ordinarily constructed these pneumatics comprise opposed side pieces of stilfened material which are hinged together at one end, the said side pieces being connected by suitable liexible inateriahwhereby the pneumatic may be expanded or collapsed. When the pneumatic is collapsed, the iiexible bellows portion :lolds together in an indiscriminate way, and frequently at the end of the pneumatic where it is connected to the rods 3l the fold in the flexible material will extend outward to be engaged by the said rods 31, and after a short time the rods wear through the fold in the flexible material, thereby rendering the pneumatic inoperative.

My pneumatics are so constructed that the flexible material will fold in a certain definite way. As illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, they comprise the usual stiffened side pieces 50, which are hinged together at one end 51 in any suitable or usual way. Secured to the edges'of the side pieces 50 in any usual way are the strips 52, of flexible material, the said strips having their inner edges 53 folded in toward the center of the pneumatic and glued IOO or otherwise fastened together. Connected to the inside of each of said inner edges 53 is a fiat stiening-piece 54,0f eardboard,leather board, or other suitable material, said stiff ening-piece being glued or secured to the inside of the inner edges 53 in any suitable way. The stiffening-pieces 54 have a central aperture therethrough, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Vthen, now, the valvey l0 is operated to connect the pneumatics 4t with the vacuumehambers 8 and the air is drawn out of said pneumatics, they will collapse, the two side pieces 50 coming together, and since the inner edges 53 of the strips 52 are held in the position shownin Figs. 8 and 9 the flexible portion of the pneumatic will fold in between the two side pieces 50 in a regular way.

My pneumatics 4 are made detachable from their supports 55, and, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the said pneumatics are provided at the upper sides with the dovetailed rib 56, which engages a corresponding groove in the support 55.

In Figs. 8, lO, and ll I have illustrated another form of detachable connecting means for the pneumatics, and as shown the hinged end of said pneumatics each have the forked projection 57, which is adapted to embrace studs 58, preferably in the form of screws, in the support 55. The opposite end of the pneumatic has connected to the upper side thereof a suitable forked clip 59, said clip being bent, as shown, at right angles to the pneumatic and having the ends of the forked portion bent over to engage the top of the support 55. A screw or other stud G0 is mounted in the end of the support 55, said screw being situated between the forks of the clip 59.

To disconnect the pneumatic from the support 55, it is moved horizontally to the left, Fig. 8, until the projections 57 become disengaged from the studs 58, at which time the upright portion of the clip 59 engages the head of the stud GO and the bent ends 6l of the clip are disengaged from the top of the support 55. By moving the pneumatic downwardly then the forked clip 59 iswithdrawn from the stud 60 and the pneumatic is completely disconnected.

IIeretofore it has been common to make the pocket-valves 10, which are seated in the valve-chamber 33, in the nature of a single valve having a double face which is rigidly connected to the valve-stem. It frequently happens, however, that one side of the valve gets Worn more than the other, so that the valve does not seat perfectly. To overcome this objection, I employ the form of valve shown in Fig. l2, wherein 3G indicates the screw-threaded valve-stem, which is connected at one end to the diaphragm ll and upon which the valve is mounted.

I prefer to make my pocket-valve in two sections a and b, which are independent from each other, each of said sections having a screw-threaded engagement with the valvelstem 36', whereby they may be independently adj usted to compensate for wear. I also ilexibly connect the valve-sections to the valvestem, so that they may have a tilting or rocking movement relatively to the valve-stem in order to allow the said valve to seat perfectly even though the face thereof is worn or the valve-chamber becomes warped. p lish this, l construct each valve-section with a facing and body portion c of some suitable material, such as felt, and provide a backing CZ of some stil'l'ened material-such as cardboard, leather-board, tbc-the said backing having an enlarged central aperture therein through which the valve-stem passes. Between the backing 'and the body or facing of the valve is an intermediate layer c, of leather or vsimilar tough fibrous flexible material, which has a screw-threaded engagement with the valve-stem. The intermediate layer c must be of such a quality that its screwthreaded engagement with the valve-stem will be sufficient to provide for adjusting the valvesection longitudinally of the valvestem, for the aperture through the body or face portion c of the valve-section will be slightly larger than the valve-stem. Since the intermediate layer c is flexible, it will be obvious that each valve-section may have a tilting motion transversely of the valve-stein, whereby the valve will be accurately seated even though the face thereof becomes worn.

My improved tracker-board comprises a body portion 26, in which are the usual airducts 25, anda cap portion 27, secured thereto and over which the sheet 22 of perforated m usic passes, said cap portion having an alined series of apertures 29, registering with the ducts 25 and adapted to register with the perforations in the sheet of music. Heretofore it has been common to make the tracker with all the ducts 25 therethrough in one continuous alined row; but it has been found that this structure weakens the board. To strengthen the tracker, I construct the ducts 25 therethrough in two rows, the successive ducts alternating in the said rows, thereby giving the ducts a staggered relation, as seen in Fig. 5. Each duct is preferably made wider at the upper portion than at the lower portion thereof, the widened upper portions of said ducts overlapping the central line of the tracker-board and registering with the correspending aperture in the cap-plate 27, as seen in Figs. 5 and G. The lower ends of the ducts 25 are connected bysuitable flexible sections 2O tothe air-ducts l9,which lead to the pockets 18 in the primary boxes, as usual.

By making the ducts 25 tapering, as shown, I secure a better action, because as soon as an aperture in the sheet of music is brought to register with the aperture 29 in the capplate and air is drawn in through said aperture the column of air driven through the intermediate air-duct will be condensed at the lower portion thereof and will move with greater force and rapidity, thereby giving a quicker and surcr action. Ialso find that the To accom- IOC IIO

action of the device is improved by making 29 through the cap-plate of the tracker.

The duct 13 between the primary and secondary boxes will be larger still than the duct 19, while the air-duct 5 between the secondary box andthe pneumatics will have a still larger cross-sectional area.

Nhen an aperture in the sheetof music registers with the aperture 29, the air is drawn with great velocity through said aperture 2f), and as it passes into the larger ducts 2O and 19 it. can expand therein somewhat and move freely into the pocket 18 to explode the same. This operation, as will be understood, raises the valve 16 to close communication between the intermediate duct 13 and the vacuumchamber lll in the primary bex and allows air to pass from the atmosphere into said larger intermediate duct 13, this column of air moving with greater velocity and rapidity, owing to the size of the duct, and quickly filling or exploding the air-pocket 12. iVhen this occurs, the valve 10 is operated to connect the duct 5 with the vacuum-chamber 8, and owing to the size of the air-duct 5 the air in the pneumatic et will be instantly withdrawn and said pneumatic collapsed to give a quick blow upon the piano-key.

Another feature of my invention relates to the spool upon which the sheets of music are wound. lt is well known that hygrostatic changes in the atmosphere affect the perforated paper which is carried by the spools, the said paper swelling and becoming wider in damp moist weather and shrinking and becoming slightly narrower in dry weather. It is obvious that if a spool having a fixed and definite distance between the flanges thereof were used the sheets of paper would be too wide for the spool, and in winding the paper onto the spool the edges thereof would be curled by their contact with the spoolflanges, while in dry weather the paper would be narrower than the distance between the fianges and in winding thereon might have a slight traverse. When this is the case, it will be seen that as the music is unwound from the spool it will not track perfectlyfi. e., the perforations therein will not register exactly with the apertures in the tracker. It also frequently happens that different makers cut their sheets of paper to different widths, so that different lengths of spools are required. To obviate these difficulties and vto provide a spool which is good for all conditions of weather and for different widths of paper, 1 have provided the compensating spool illustrated in Fig. 7, in which the central or core portion may be of any suitable or usual shape 0r material and has at its ends journal-pins 700., The flanges of the spool are made adjustable lengthwise thereof, and, as illustrated, the ends of the core of the spool are screw-threaded, and the flanges have screwihreaded engagement therewith. Each end of the spool will preferably have a fer-rule or ring 7l, of some suitable metal, having a screw-threaded exterior, and the fiange 72, which will preferably be a concavo-convex, as illustrated, will be provided with the screw-threaded socket 73, which screws onto the ferrule 7l.

Whenever the width of the paper varies from any cause, it will be obvious that the distance between the flanges 72 may be adjusted to compensate for variation in the width of the paper.

While I have illustrated my device as adapted for a pneumatic piano-player, yet it will be obvious that many parts or features of the same can be used in connection with automatic organ-playing devices or automatic organs, such as zeolians. It will be obvious also that various changes may be made in the structure of my device without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. In an automatic piano-player, a series of fingers adapted to operate the keys of' the piano, and automatic finger-operating meehanism, each of said fingers having integral therewith a yieldable projection carrying a hammer, and an adjusting device in the end of each finger constructed to adjust the said projection relative to the finger.

2. In an automatic piano-player, a series of fingers adapted to operate the keys of the piano, and automatic linger-operating mechanism, each of said fingers being divided at the hammer end, a hammer secured directly to one part of each of said fingers, and means to adj ust that portion of the finger to which the hammer is attached relative to the body of the finger.

3. In an automatic pianoplayer, a series of fingers adapted to operate the keys of the piano,and automatic finger-operating mechanism, the hammer ends of each of said fingers being forked., a hammer secured directly to one arm of the fork, and an adjusting screw in the other arm thereof and engaging the first-named arm, whereby the hammer may be adjusted vertically relatively to the finger.

lf. In an automatic piano-player, a series of fingers adapted to operate the keys of a piano, and automatic finger-operating mechanism, the hammer end of each finger being forked, one arm of said fork having a hammer secured directly thereto,and an adjusting-screw in the other arm of the fork and engaging the first-named arm, whereby each hammer may be adjusted vertically relatively to its supporting-finger.

5. in an automatic piauo-pl ayer, a series of IOO IIO

fingers to operate the piano-keys, a hinged carrier to which said fingers are pivoted, means to positively turn said carrier about its pivot to raise all of the fingers bodily from the piano-keys, said means comprising an actuating-lever pivoted to a fixed support., and having a cam-slot eccentric to the pivot of the lever, and a stud on the carrier engaging said slot, the turning of the lever about its pivot operating to positively turn said carrier about its axis.

6. In an automatic piano-player, a series of fingers to operate the piano-keys, a hinged carrier to which said fingers are pivoted, means to positively turn said carrier about its pivot to raise all of the fingers bodily from the piano-keys, said means comprising an actuating-lever pivoted to a fixed support, and having a cam-slot eccentric to the pivot of the lever, and a stud on the carrier engaging said slot, said slot having a locking-recess at one end into which the stud enters, the construction being such that the turning of the lever about its pivot operates to positively turn said carrier about its axis, the said stud when the carrier is in its operative position entering the locking-recess'fo lock the carrier in such position.

'7. In an automatic piano-player, a series of fingers to operate the piano-keys, a hinged carrier to which said fingers are pivoted, a lever having an inclined slot therein and pivoted to a fixed support, and a stud on the carrier engaging the slot, whereby the carrier may be turned to raise the hammer end of all the fingers from the keys simultaneously, said slot operating to lock the carrier in its operative position.

8. In an automatic piano-player, a series of fingers to operate the piano-keys, a hinged carrier to which said fingers are pivoted, and means to positively turn said carrier about its pivot to raise all of the fingers bodily from the piano-keys, said means comprising an actuating-lever pivoted to a fixed support and havinga pin-and-slot connection with the carrier, the turning of the lever about its pivot operating to positively turn the carrier in either direction.

9. A pneumatic for a pneumatic pianoplayer, comprising two opposed side pieces of infiexible material movable toward and from each other, and a strip of fiexible material secured to the edges of each of said side pieces and extending inwardly toward the center thereof, the inner edges of said strips being secured together, and a frame-like stiffener connected to said inner edges, said stiffener being smaller than the side pieces.

10. A pneumatic for a pneumatic pianoplayer, comprising two opposed side pieces of infiexible material hinged together at one end, a strip of fiexible material extending around each side piece and secured to the edges thereof, said strips extending inwardly from their point of attachment with the side pieces, the inner edge of one strip being secured to that of the other strip, to make an inwardly-ex tending fold.

ll. A pneumatic for a pneumatic pianoplayer, comprising two pieces of inflexible material hinged together at one end, a strip of flexible material extending around each side piece and secured to the edges thereof, said strips each being folded inwardly toward the center of the pneumatic, a part of the inwardly-extending portion of one strip being secured to that of the other strip, and an apertured stiffening-piece secured to the inward edges of said strips, said stiffeningpiece being smaller than the side pieces.

l2. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of pneumaties, a flat-faced support for the same, headed studs in the flat face of said support, a forked projection on one end of each pneumatic adapted to embrace one of said studs, a slotted clip on the other end of each pneumatic, to embrace the end of the support, and also a headed stud therein, whereby each pneumatic may be detached from the said support.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of pneumatics, means to support the same, each of said pneumaties having at one end forked projections embracing headed studs on the supporting means, and at the other end a clip to embrace the end of tho support, whereby said pneumatics may be dctached from the supporting means.

li. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of pneumatics, supporting means therefor, each of said pneumatics having at one end forked projections embracing headed studs on the supports, and at the other end a slotted clip embracing a stud in the end of the support, the end of said clip being bent over the upper edge of the support.

15. A valve for a pneumatic piano-player comprising a screw-threaded stem and a valve screw-threaded thereon, said valve comprising a facing of yielding material such as felt, and a backing of some suitable stiffened material, said backing being out of contact with the valve-stem, and an intermediate layer of tough flexible material which has a screwthreaded engagement with the stem, whereby said valve may have a bodily movement transversely to the stem.

1G. A valve for a pneumatic piano-player comprising a screw-threaded valve-stem, and two independent valve-sections adjustably secured thereto, said valve sections each comprising a facing of yielding material, a backing of stiffened material, said backing having an enlarged aperture through which the stem passes, and an intermediate layer of fibrous fiexible material, said intermediate layer having a screw-threaded engagement with the valve-stem, whereby said valve may have a bodily movement transversely of the stem.

17. A compensating spool for perforated music comprising a body portion having screw-threaded ends, journal-pins extended IOO IIO

from the ends Jthereof, and concave-convex isnges or heads having,` screw-threaded sockets engaging said screw-threaded ends and central apertures through which seid journal-pins project.

18. A compensating spool for perforated music comprising a body portion having` screw-threaded ends, eonoztVo-convex anges or heads having serew-threaded sockets to reo oeive said Screw-threaded ends, and means independent from 'the heads forsupportng the spool for turning movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL B. LOCKLIN.

Xditliesses:

LOUIS C. SMITH, GEO. H. MAXWELL. 

